Twenty years ago, most chefs tracked ingredient costs by invoice line items. Now, calculating with kilo prices cuts through the complexity and gives you direct insight into dish profitability. You'll know exactly what each portion costs without juggling multiple supplier spreadsheets.
From purchase price to actual kilo price
Your supplier's invoice shows one price, but your real cost runs higher. Cutting loss, waste, and prep time bump up what you actually pay per usable kilo.
? Example: Processing whole salmon
You buy whole salmon for €18.00/kg. After filleting you've got 55% left (45% cutting loss).
- Purchase price: €18.00/kg
- Yield: 55%
- Actual fillet price: €18.00 ÷ 0.55 = €32.73/kg
Your salmon fillet costs €32.73/kg, not €18.00.
Calculate cost price per portion
With your real kilo price, portion costing becomes straightforward. Multiply portion weight by kilo price and you're done.
Formula: Cost price per portion = Portion weight (kg) × Actual kilo price
? Example: Steak cost price
You serve a 250 gram steak. Your actual kilo price for entrecote runs €42.00/kg.
- Portion weight: 0.25 kg
- Kilo price: €42.00
- Meat cost: 0.25 × €42.00 = €10.50
Add sides and sauces to reach roughly €12.80 total cost price.
Calculate composite dishes
Dishes with multiple components need each ingredient calculated separately. Don't skip the small stuff - oil, butter, and spices add up faster than you'd think.
This is a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials: operators nail the protein costs but underestimate garnish expenses by 15-20%.
- Main ingredient (meat, fish) × weight × kilo price
- Vegetables × weight × kilo price
- Sauces and sides × weight × kilo price
- Oil, butter, spices (estimate 5-10% of main ingredient)
? Example: Pasta carbonara
One portion of pasta carbonara breaks down to:
- Pasta (100g): €0.12
- Bacon (50g): €0.85
- Eggs (1 piece): €0.25
- Parmesan (20g): €0.60
- Cream, butter, spices: €0.25
Total cost price: €2.07
⚠️ Note:
Update your kilo prices regularly. Suppliers bump prices without fanfare, and you might miss it for weeks. Review your core ingredients monthly at minimum.
Quick check of your calculation
Here's a fast way to verify your math: divide cost price by selling price (excl. VAT). That's your food cost percentage.
Food cost % = (Cost price ÷ Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
Most restaurants hit between 28% and 35%. If you're running much higher, either your dish costs too much to make or you're pricing it too low.
How do you calculate cost price with kilo prices? (step by step)
Determine your actual kilo prices
Account for cutting loss and processing costs. Divide your purchase price by the yield percentage. With 20% cutting loss: purchase price ÷ 0.80.
Weigh all ingredients per portion
Measure exactly how much of each ingredient goes into one portion. Don't forget sides, sauces, and small ingredients like spices and oil.
Calculate and add up
Multiply weight per ingredient by the actual kilo price. Add all costs together for the total cost price per portion.
✨ Pro tip
Recalculate your top 3 menu items every 2 weeks - they drive 60% of your revenue. If those costs stay accurate, you'll control most of your food cost variance.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I include VAT in my cost price calculation?
How often should I update my kilo prices?
What if I have different suppliers for the same product?
How do I account for cutting loss in my kilo price?
Do I need to calculate small ingredients like salt and pepper separately?
What's a realistic food cost percentage for different restaurant types?
Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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